New iTree sound system tree-hugs your iPhone

You have an iPhone--a wonder of sleek, compact, multifunction technology. You essentially have a powerful multimedia computer system that fits in the palm of your hand. You must be thinking, "All I'm lacking is a giant log I can stick it into to play loud music."

Scream "Jackpot!" because KMKG Studios has introduced the iTree, a $15,000 personalized sound system for the iPhone, the iPod and (with a little rigging) the iPad. According to KMKG's designers: "The iTree is a top-quality iPhone and iPod docking station made out of a simple tree trunk. This is hollowed out using a special technique and specialized tools, expertly proportioned to produce optimum sound quality."

Because no two trees are alike, every iTree is a personalized creation. Buyers select the size and kind of wood they'd like before their iTree is manufactured. KMKG reports spruce, cherry, or poplar are most popular. If home audio and potential splinter enthusiasts want to haul themselves to KMKG Studios HQ in Austria, they can go for a ride in nearby forests and pick their own tree. After iTree artisans kick the Keebler Elves out of their ancestral home, they'll make the in-house music system to specifications.

We have yet to give an iTree a listen, so we can't attest to the sound quality. But if the price is any indication, it should be impressive. The only potential drawback we see for the iTree is--unless you live in a ski lodge or a late 1800s cattle ranch--visitors might be prone to ask, "Why do you have a giant log in your living room, Grizzly Adams?"